IPCC Releases Complete Synthesis Report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) announced that it has launched the complete version of the Climate Change Synthesis Report, the concluding instalment of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5).

As its name suggests the full Synthesis Report integrates and synthesizes the contributions by the IPCC’s three working groups that were rolled out over 2013 and 2014 into a concise document of about 110 pages suitable for policymakers and other stakeholders.

The IPPC explained that the report was written by “over 800 scientists from 80 countries, and assessing over 30,000 scientific papers.” It is designed to tell “policymakers what the scientific community knows about the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.”

The key findings of the Synthesis Report, initially released on November 2, 2014, are listed as follows:
· Human influence on the climate system is clear;
· The more we disrupt our climate, the more we risk severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts; and
· We have the means to limit climate change and build a more prosperous, sustainable future.

Ismail El Gizouli, Acting Chair of the IPCC, said the “Synthesis Report, distilling the work of hundreds of experts, is an invaluable tool and resource for policymakers as the world prepares to finalize a global agreement on climate change later this year.”

The complete version of the report “includes the fully laid-out Summary for Policymakers of the Synthesis Report and the longer report comprised of an Introduction and four topics, plus six annexes.”

The IPCC is also releasing on its website drafts of the Synthesis Report, and comments arising from the expert and government review.

Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Topics Climate Change